So, I signed up to take the SAT before I had gotten my most recent ACT scores back (dumb decision, I know), in which I scored a 34 Composite.
Essentially, the situation is that I have done no prep, but I am still signed up to take it tomorrow. I doubt that I will score high enough (roughly a 34 equivalent or higher) to render any meaning to take the test and have never taken it before nor done any prep. I am worried that I will score low and since a couple of schools I am looking at require all test scores, these low scores will impact me negatively.
I need your advice. Do I cram today and take it tomorrow? Do I not take it? We have already paid for it (obviously) and I feel it’d be a shame to put the money to waste; however, my family is fairly wealthy so it ultimately won’t matter.
(I did one math practice test from collegeboard’s website and I scored a 710 - not good enough in my opinion).
Don’t take it. Just cancel it. You are not gonna beat a 34 (roughly a 1500/1600) with little to no prep.
I would very carefully look over the websites for schools I was interested in and see what they required for application.
@JustOneDad @SternBusiness Thanks for the input. I am going to major in CS (or engineering), two schools I’m looking at are UIUC and Cornell. My math section is a 35; however, my science is a 31 (my lowest section). Is it okay that my science is low even though I want to go into engineering? Or should I retake the ACT in efforts to bump it up?
Don’t retake a 34, getting a 36 will not increase your chances by any substantial amount. If you feel like you are not prepared, then don’t go and don’t take the test. You might not do well with the lack of prep and if a school requires all of your scores (both SAT and ACT) then you might be screwed.
@rdeng2614 Thanks, I have decided not to take it.
I dont really see why you wouldnt take it though. Having an SAT score won’t hurt your application at all if you dont send it in to colleges. I got a pretty decent score (2220) without preparation but I guess it depends somewhat on the classes you’re taking in school. If you are enrolled in a rigorous English and Math class, then studying shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Since you probably wont see this post until tomorrow afternoon, my post probably won’t be changing your decision. But to everyone else seeing this post, if you are deciding whether or not to take an SAT test that you have already signed up for, I’d say go for it.
@mtimoma I understand what you’re saying, but some schools require all test scores to be sent. Thus, if I scored poorly on this SAT, it would have to be sent in to the college anyway.
Oh I see. My bad, I forgot that certain schools require all scores. The colleges that I am applying to all either superscore the SAT or take the highest score, so taking the SAT unprepared has no drawbacks.
I’m glad you were able to reach a decision!
Great call in deciding not to take the 6/6 SAT!